


Like trying to stop an avalanche

by antigrav_vector



Series: Like trying to stop an avalanche [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Biting, Blowjobs, Clint Barton/Virginia "Pepper" Potts/Natasha Romanov/Tony Stark - Freeform, Come Marking, Cuddles, Delayed Orgasm, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Exhibitionism, Explicit Consent, F/F, F/M, Fingering, Fivesome, Fivesome - F/F/M/M/M, Foursome, Foursome - F/F/M/M, Het Sex, M/M, Making Out, Marking, Masturbation, Multi, Multiple Orgasms, Natasha Romanov/Clint Barton - Freeform, Natasha Romanov/Tony Stark - Freeform, Open Relationships, Oral Sex, Past Steve Rogers/ Margaret "Peggy" Carter, Pegging, Poly Relationships, Relationship Negotiation, Sharing a Shower, Shower Sex, Steve Rogers/Clint Barton - Freeform, Steve Rogers/Clint Barton/Virginia "Pepper" Potts/Natasha Romanov/Tony Stark, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark - Freeform, Threesome, Threesome - F/F/M, Virginia "Pepper" Potts/Clint Barton - Freeform, Virginia "Pepper" Potts/Natasha Romanov, Virginia "Pepper" Potts/Tony Stark - Freeform, far more plot than intended, handjobs, offscreen femslash, pearl necklaces, tons of background or implied pairings, washing each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-05
Updated: 2016-02-13
Packaged: 2018-05-18 06:38:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5902198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/antigrav_vector/pseuds/antigrav_vector
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was inevitable really. The logical conclusion to the chain of events they'd started. And Steve was enjoying it to the hilt.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> With thanks to my beta [lil_1337](http://archiveofourown.org/users/lil_1337).

Steve stared down at the blank page of his sketchbook and sighed. Nothing wanted to flow, no matter what he started to block in.

Well, he amended the thought, remembering the way his first absent sketch had turned into a rendition of the scene he'd walked in on six days ago, almost nothing.

He'd stumbled across Tony and Clint making time in the showers after his workout and stopped to stare for a long second, arrested by the tableau they made. What had seemed like acres of tanned bare skin and far more than just the two pairs of wandering hands, and--

\-- and it was getting him hard again.

Damn it.

It had been hard enough not to think about what Tony, Pepper, and Natasha got up to together after that enthusiastic kiss he'd witnessed six weeks ago. Knowing that they had since added Clint into their... arrangement...

Steve swallowed back a groan and forced the thought away; he wasn't sure if he was more jealous or aroused by the idea. He'd come to terms with the idea of Tony and Pepper and Natasha fairly quickly. The reading Pepper had assigned him that evening after Tony had had the arc reactor removed had been pretty informative, actually, and very helpful. And it had opened his eyes to a lot of things that had only been hinted at around him so far. Probably, he surmised, because someone somewhere had decided he 'wasn't ready' to find out about it. To a point, they had been right, he had to admit. It took him a while to properly process the idea and come to terms with it, and what it meant. It had helped immensely, having a good example of how that type of relationship could work right in front of him, now that he knew where to look for the signs. They hadn't ever really bothered to hide it from him or Clint. They just... hadn't drawn attention to it.

And it seemed like there was good reason for that kind of subtle approach; the type of relationship that his teammates had wasn't freely accepted either. Tony, being as much in the public eye as he was, couldn't hint at it when he was anywhere outside the communal level or private residences in the Tower. And nor could the others, by extension.

In fact, it was pretty impressive that no one had caught on yet. Even Clint had managed to keep quiet about it. And that was saying something.

But, Steve sighed and scrubbed at his face with his hands, none of that was relevant to him.

He wasn't blind and he wasn't seeing anyone. And that was a problem he wasn't sure how to solve. For all that he was open to dating either gender, and that there were sure to be any number of people willing to go for a tumble if he asked. He wanted far more than that. But the number of people willing to date a superhero long-term was small, and the number stubborn enough to see it through was even smaller.

His best chances, really, would be with someone either on the team and to hell with the fraternization rules, or with someone of equal standing. That left him few choices. He wasn't going to be able to make anything long-term work with any of the X-Men, though, simply because long-distance relationships rarely worked, even among the civilian populace, and of the Fantastic Four, only Johnny Storm was unattached. And it was going to stay that way, Steve knew. Storm had no intention of ever settling down, and had made public statements to that effect over and over. Not to mention that Steve wasn't interested.

It really didn't make things easier that he had very little practical experience. He hadn't actually made time with any of the chorus girls while he'd been on tour with them, but they had explained things to him in between gossiping about their past lovers and what they'd done wrong. After Peggy had helped him go AWOL to get Bucky out of HYDRA's camp, and after he'd gotten all the men out that he could, they'd celebrated, and she'd cheerfully deflowered him in that pragmatic direct way she'd had. His nosedive into the ice had ended that relationship with a finality he couldn't fight, and the knowledge had left him aching for months after he'd woken in the future.

His inexperience aside, though... his thoughts circled back around to the topic he'd started with. The reading Pepper had had JARVIS prepare for him hadn't really helped matters much, either, where his imagination was concerned. Now that he'd been introduced to the concept of polyamory, he'd been wondering what it would be like. And having an example of a working relationship right in front of him was almost a tease. He knew quite well that theory rarely matched up with practice. He wanted to ask all kinds of questions, but didn't know how. Or who. Or whether it would offend any of them.

But... did they all share a bed? He suspected not, though he didn't doubt that Tony would design and build one for them if they wanted him to. The thought, naturally, had him painting a mental picture before he could stop himself, of the four of them cuddled together in the afterglow, none of them wearing a stitch and all of them radiating more satisfaction than a cat with a bowl of cream.

Steve put down his pencil with a sigh and stood. He needed a cold shower. Again. He couldn't show up to the team movie night the state he was in. Thankfully, he had an hour or so to try to regain his composure. He had a feeling he would need it.

\------

All of the others but Clint were already lounging in what they'd dubbed the theatre when he showed up, with his hair still damp. The sound of the microwave whirring and popcorn kernels popping immediately pinpointed where the archer was, though.

Pepper looked up and smiled brightly when he entered the room. "Steve! You can settle the argument for us."

He froze halfway through taking a seat in the ridiculously plush armchair beside the sofa. "I can?"

"Do we put on The Man in the Iron Mask, or Speed?"

Steve sat down. "I only know what one of those is, so I'm going to pick the first one."

"Not fair. You knew what he would pick," Tony whined and Natasha smirked. A calculating look entered his eyes a moment later and he stood. "Steve, stand up."

Surprised, he obeyed. "Tony, what--"

"You can make it up to me by sitting on the sofa," came the predictably ridiculous reply.

Steve rolled his eyes. "And if I don't want to?"

Natasha chose that moment to speak up. "Are you mad at us, Steve?"

"What? No," he replied, knowing that he was already outmaneuvered.

"Then come sit with us. We've barely seen you this week," Pepper put in.

Tony put a hand between his shoulderblades and gave him a shove. "Go on. Sit."

Steve turned just enough to give him a sour look. "I was."

"No. Sit with them," Tony retorted, "and stop being so grumpy. Legolas!"

"What?" Clint stuck his head out of the kitchen. "You don't have to shout, you know."

"Throw an extra bag of popcorn in the microwave, would you? Cap's decided to show," Tony informed him.

Steve had no doubt that Clint had already worked that out for himself, but said nothing. Giving in, he settled himself in the only free seat on the sofa, conveniently between the two dam--ladies. He tensed when Pepper immediately wrapped herself around his right arm. When Natasha leaned against his other side, effectively tucking herself against his side, it only got worse.

Tony wouldn't meet his eyes.

Steve scowled; they'd planned this. That was obvious. And he could either accept it, and soak in the contact he hadn't realised he was missing so acutely, or leave.

When Clint breezed back in with two big bowls of popcorn, he took one look at the seating arrangements and smirked. "Here," he put one bowl on Steve's lap, "enjoy."

"Thanks," Steve shot back, tone flat.

"No charge," Clint shot back, and turned to Tony. "Budge over," he demanded, "that chair's definitely big enough."

With an amused huff, Tony complied. "It really isn't, you'll find."

The moment Clint was settled, JARVIS dimmed the lights and started the movie playing, giving Steve something to focus on that wasn't the two women cuddling up to him or his two teammates making out in the armchair.

He wasn't sure he would survive this with his dignity intact.

\------

It had happened again three times in the week since then, and Steve didn't know what to think.

He'd taken to showering in his own apartments after his workouts, after he discovered that trying to shower in the locker rooms only served to remind him of what he'd seen, and got him all riled up. The others had definitely noticed his avoidance tactics, that much he was sure of. But he didn't understand why they'd want to initiate any kind of physical contact after that.

Setting the issue aside, he turned away from the floor-to-ceiling windows lining the outer common floor wall and the dizzying view they offered. He wanted something to eat.

"Steve," Natasha called out from her position at the breakfast bar. "Can we talk?"

He raised an eyebrow at her and continued on his path to the 'fridge. "About the fact that you four are plotting something that seems to involve me?" he asked her, his tone pointed, and set the fixings for a sandwich out on the counter.

"Well," she prevaricated, and Steve could hear the smile he couldn't see, "potentially."

Steve didn't turn away from what he was doing, sure his face would give away more than he wanted about his surprise, and pulled a knife out of the drawer to his left. "And what, exactly, did you _potentially_ want to talk about?"

"If you're interested, a chance to take part in this ridiculous group relationship that Stark and Pepper seem to be the center of," she said bluntly, and Steve almost dropped the knife he was using to spread mustard on his sandwich, "if not, whether you're comfortable with what we've been doing."

"Doing?" Was she saying what he thought she was?

Natasha snorted a trifle derisively, but explained. "Don't be dense. Stark noticed you looked lonely and tried to find a way to cheer you up. Pepper wanted a chance to feel you up, so you got cuddled."

"Ah." Steve found himself at a loss for words.

"If you are interested, that has a few consequences," Natasha went on, sparing him the need to figure out what to say. "First and foremost, you need to decide what you do and don't want, and what you're comfortable with doing. Then you need to tell all of us. Explicitly, and in as much detail as you feel is appropriate."

Steve could feel the back of his neck heating at the thought. Not now, he told himself, forcing his thoughts away from that inflammatory topic. "And then?"

"That depends on what you want," she replied simply. "Think about it and let me know. But I do need an answer to my other question now."

"Huh?" He felt a little lost, trying to think back to what the other question had been that she meant.

"Are you okay with the casual touches or not?"

He considered it for a moment. It had taken him some time to get used to them, but they didn't bother him. He liked being able to touch and be touched without worrying about the reception he would get. "That's-- yeah, I'm fine."

"Good. Have your snack, then." She stood and sauntered out of the kitchen, trailing her fingertips across his shoulders as she went. Steve couldn't stop the shiver that sent through him, and Natasha smiled as she left.

What had he just let himself in for?

Steve shook his head and finished making his sandwich. He could worry about that after he'd eaten. And considered the offer Natasha had just made on the others' behalf.

\------

He'd taken his sandwich and retreated to his apartment, then settled in to do some digging on the internet. He had an inkling as to what Natasha had meant, but he knew beyond a doubt that he needed to know more about ... well, kinks and what they were, before he could have a hope of getting through that conversation. 

Or. No. Steve looked up at the camera subtly recessed in a corner of his livingroom. "JARVIS?"

"Yes, Captain?"

"I assume you heard what Natasha told me," Steve decided to go with a blunt opening gambit.

"I did, though it was not awarded priority in my processing tree," the AI replied. "Was there something you wished to know with regard to the topics mentioned?"

Steve wasn't sure whether to feel more amused by the AI's incredibly sharp intuition or relieved that he wouldn't have to spell everything out. "Yes."

"What would you like information about?" JARVIS inquired, and displayed a list on the almost unused holographic interface that Tony had built into Steve's coffee table.

 _Rules of Consent, Safewords, Kink play, Hard and Soft Limits,_ Steve read. "I'm going to assume these are categories," he asked the AI.

"Precisely. You may use the interface to navigate back- and forward through the document tree. I have provided summaries of the most common and popular topics in each category, respectively. Those that apply specifically to Sir and his partners you will need to discuss with them personally. That is not information I am willing to offer at this point."

Steve looked up from the list again at the phrasing. "But later, you might."

"Perhaps." Steve thought he heard a smirk in the AI's tone as he continued, "much depends on the context within which that information is requested."

Huh. So in other words, JARVIS wasn't about to spill anything unless he decided in favour of joining their relationship. That was fair. "And about these generic topics?"

"Any information you should need is at your figurative fingertips. You need but ask, Captain."

"Thanks, JARVIS."

"You're quite welcome."

Steve decided to assume JARVIS had displayed these in a roughly logical progression and start at the top of the list. He had some reading to do.

\------

When Natasha and Pepper approached him two days later, Steve had no idea what kind of approach they would take. It was almost a relief when the two of them started bluntly and succinctly laying out ground rules and expectations before they asked him to talk about anything.

"Our first rule is simple," Natasha opened. "If you opt in, you talk to us. Whether it's about something new you want to try in bed or about the way your day went. We don't keep secrets. That's how we've kept things in balance, and that's something we expect you to do."

Pepper picked up the thread. "The second rule is almost as simple. Before we attempt anything in a group setting, we'll all be getting to know you in bed one-on-one first. No exceptions. If that's going to cause trouble, this stands no chance of being any kind of sexual relationship."

"The third rule," Natasha jumped in, as promptly as if they'd rehearsed this conversation, and perhaps they had, "is that if there's penetrative sex, barriers get used for the first few months. For a number of reasons."

Steve didn't reply immediately, trying to make sure she understood that it was something he'd already considered. "Those rules all sound simple enough. And no, that shouldn't cause any problems."

Pepper gave him a crooked smile. "They're not always easy to maintain in practice. But the theory is simple. And if you're ready to agree to those ground rules, we can move on to the more complex part of the discussion."

"Complex?" Steve raised an eyebrow at her.

Natasha smirked. "Well, Steve," she purred, "this is the part where we get to interrogate you on what you like in bed."

Pepper's expression was mostly anticipation, though he could see the edge it held. "Or out of it, as the case may be."

Steve couldn't stop the blush from crawling up his neck, remembering the scene he'd walked in on in the locker room. He cleared his throat. "Um, well," he hesitated, "I don't have a lot of practical experience to base that on?"

They exchanged an incredulous look. After a beat, Pepper nodded. "Alright, we'll start. And then you are going to tell us what you want to try."

"And, if you are so inclined," Natasha continued, "we can work on remedying that later tonight."

Steve was torn between nerves and something he decided to label pure anticipation. "Maybe. Let's talk."

\------

They'd sent him back to his apartments to digest all the information they'd thrown at him some twenty minutes later. Slightly dazed, he'd nodded and done just that, deciding to draw a bath and indulge himself for a while. While the tub filled, he stripped down and let himself consider the outcomes of their conversation.

After a thorough discussion, they'd settled on Natasha getting first crack at him, as it were. He'd learned a lot more about sexuality and the practical implications thereof from the conversation, as well, and that was something that he wanted to think about in more depth while he had the leisure and privacy.

But maybe after he'd dealt with the reaction their talk had left him with. He'd felt very awkward about the -- he stumbled a little over the modern terminology -- the hard-on he'd gotten, and walking out of the room like that had been an exercise in patience. Pepper and Natasha had both stared at him like they wanted to eat him, as he did. Which was... well, not unexpected, but it had made him feel oddly self-conscious. Not used to being wanted.

Sure, he'd had a lot of people make a pass at him after he'd let Howard and Dr. Erskine work their magic. But none of those people had known him from the next Jack on the street. This was entirely different. These were people he knew. People he liked and respected. People he worked closely with.

People, he admitted to himself, he'd all been attracted to at various points in their acquaintance. And who seemed to not only like and respect him, but also want him in their lives.

It made something deep inside him uncurl.

It also made him harder.

Resigning himself to dealing with that issue before he got in the bath, Steve turned the water off and reached down to take himself in hand.

\------

Three hours later, they were all clustered around the coffee table in the communal livingroom with takeout, and Tony was acting like he'd swallowed a live wire. He jumped from topic to topic without pausing to let them really get a word in edgewise, until Pepper stepped in, physically catching him by the chin and making him meet her eyes. "Tony?"

Tony swallowed hard. "Yeah?"

"Eat your dinner," she said simply.

Steve was surprised at how effective that was. Tony had visibly forced himself to stop thinking about... whatever it was, and applied himself to his food. Pepper caught his eyes and smirked.

Natasha jumped in, prompting Clint to fill the quiet. "Hey, Clint," she asked, "what's the story with that new workout routine you said you were going to develop?"

"Hm? Oh, that. Yeah, it didn't work out. Turns out that the gym ceiling isn't the best place to try to plant my grappling arrows."

Tony looked up. "I should have known that was you. What the hell were you thinking?"

Steve couldn't help the fondly amused curl of his lips, but he stayed silent and let the conversation wander where it wanted, making the occasional comment to keep the others from prying into his thoughts. He was more focused on what he knew was likely to take place after dinner than the conversation itself. He suspected the others were, as well, judging by their respective levels of distraction. Tony, in particular, was on edge. Moreso than Steve had ever seen him, actually. 

He didn't linger long after he'd finished eating, taking his leave quietly and letting the four of them work out what they needed to.

Trying to stop any one of them was difficult. Trying to stop all of them would be like trying to stop an avalanche. Barehanded.


	2. Chapter 2

Less than ten minutes after he'd let the door of his apartment close behind him, the chime announcing a visitor sounded, and Steve was confident he knew who it would be. Standing from his seat on his sofa, he crossed the open space and opened the door.

True to expectations, Natasha stood there, an expectant expression hinted at in the corners of her eyes. "Steve," she greeted him, as though they hadn't just had dinner together, "may I come in?"

He didn't answer verbally, just sidestepped so she could pass him and enter the apartment itself. When she turned to watch him, Steve closed the door and tapped the button on the interface beside it that requested privacy until further notice. "Can I get you anything?"

"Well," Natasha replied, "I thought I was here for something else, but if you'd rather play host first, that's fine."

"It's only polite," Steve huffed.

The comment got him a smirk. "And it's appreciated, but not necessary. Come on," she held out a hand, inviting, "let's have some fun."

"If that's what you want," Steve replied, "I'm fairly sure I can come up with something."

He reached out and took her hand. It sent an unexpected jolt of sensation through him and Steve distracted himself by leading her away from the living room and toward the room at the back of the apartment that served as his bedroom. The light in the afternoons was perfect, here, and he suspected Tony had meant it to be an art studio, but Steve couldn't find it in himself to regret making that switch. Natasha's expression as she looked around, taking in the space, was appreciative. The sun had long since set, and the glittering lights of the skyline were clearly visible. His desk, cluttered with books and sketches, stood in the shadows off to one side of the door, leaving most of the space in the room open, and making the bed the obvious center of attention.

"Nice," was her only comment, as she crossed the room to sit on the edge of the bed. "Lights to twenty percent, please," she called out to JARVIS. The AI didn't reply, but the lights came up just enough to make the room seem a more intimate place, almost sheltered.

Steve stayed on his feet, unsure how to proceed.

Natasha leaned back, resting her weight on her palms, hands braced on the bed behind her. "Do you have supplies here?"

"In the bathroom." He let himself take a long look at Natasha, and enjoy the way her pose emphasised her curves. She was as beautiful as she was lethal, and he freely acknowledged both sides of her.

She gave him a knowing look. "Go get them."

By the time he'd retrieved the items she wanted and returned, Natasha had repositioned herself, lying back on his bed with her hands tucked under her head. The pose made her blouse pull tight around her chest and made the dark lace of her bra visible through the thin fabric. Steve stared, until she freed one hand to crook a finger at him in a 'come hither' gesture.

"You look amazing," he managed to say without stuttering, setting down what he carried at the head of the bed and sitting on the edge of the mattress himself.

"Not so bad yourself," she shot back, a pleased smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. He reached out to catch her hand and trace the lines of it with his fingertips, and she let him. "Steve," she refocused his attention away from her deceptively delicate hands, "what do you want tonight? We talked about things earlier, but I need to know what you want to try first."

Steve shrugged. "I've never tried any of those things you and Pepper talked about."

"Hm, alright. We'll take it from the top, then." She took her hand back, and smirked. "On your feet, soldier, and strip."

Faced with the prospect of being naked while she wasn't, Steve blushed. It felt oddly deviant, he decided, standing and doing as she'd asked. "And you?"

"For now, I'm going to watch and enjoy," Natasha shot back, "and you're going to show me how you like to be touched."

The mental image of-- he skittered away from the thought for a moment, and he felt his blush deepen. The thought of touching himself while she watched was making the room feel several degrees warmer. After a beat, he complied, undressing and carefully folding his clothes before he set them aside. When he was down to his underwear, Steve took a deep breath to steady himself before he reached for the elastic waistband and slid it off. He bent at the waist to pick it up, and tossed it in the direction of his hamper.

"Hmm," Natasha gave him a long once over, letting her eyes linger on his hard cock. "Better than I imagined." She paused for a moment, then nodded. "On the bed," she directed. "Sit with your back against the headboard, and show me what feels good."

Somehow, it was easier now that he wasn't half dressed anymore. Steve nodded, and carefully settled himself the way Natasha had suggested.

"Go on," she prompted him when he didn't move for a moment.

He gave her a crooked smile. "This is kind of a first, for me."

"Would it be easier if I undressed?" Natasha asked. "I'm fine with that, if it would make you more comfortable."

Would it? Steve considered the offer. The memory of the way her figure had looked as she lounged on the bed was enough to convince him. "I'm alright."

Forcing himself to set aside the knowledge that she was watching him do this, he reached down and palmed himself, rubbing up against his hand. The pressure sent a shock of pleasure up his spine and a shudder through him. He was already far closer to coming than he wanted to be, and that knowledge helped him keep his touches slow and light. It was always better when he made himself wait.

Natasha made a soft sound when he brought his other hand down, using his fingers to tease the head of his cock in between strokes. It reminded him of the eyes on him, and this time the knowledge made him hotter. It wouldn't take much more to set him off, and he backed off completely with a hitching breath.

"Too much," she asked, her tone holding just enough of a hint of roughness to tell him that she was getting off on watching him.

"Too close," he replied shortly, once he could find the words.

"So?" Natasha replied. "Show me what you look like when you come. I want to see it."

The sentence alone was almost too much for him to resist. Letting his head fall back to hit the wall with a thump, Steve gave in. When he took himself back in hand, his hips jerked up involuntarily, instinct driving him onward. It took all of four strokes until he was coming all over his hand with a shuddering gasp.

"Damn," Natasha breathed. "I knew that would be ridiculously hot."

Feeling somewhere between complimented and embarrassed, Steve reached for the small hand towel he'd brought with him.

"Wait," Natasha stopped him. When he gave her a curious look, she continued, "I want to taste you, if you're alright with that."

If that meant what he thought... "I'll need a few minutes," he told her.

She huffed at him, amused. "Not what I meant, but I'll keep that in mind for later. Give me your hand."

His... Oh.

Not sure whether the idea was a turn on or just weird, Steve hesitated before allowing her to wrap her fingers around his wrist and pull his hand into range. The first flicker of her tongue against his skin was startling. Warm and wet, and oddly slick. It was different from licking his own fingers. Which he only ever did when he got food on them. But this... Another flicker of her tongue, this time between his fingers, made him shiver. This was more erotic than he'd expected. He still didn't see the appeal of doing it, himself, but the feeling of letting someone else do it? That he could get used to.

It was also starting to get him hard again, and it didn't take long for Natasha to notice that.

She pulled back from her nearly-complete task just enough to raise an eyebrow at him but didn't let go. "That was fast."

Steve shrugged. "Been that way since the serum."

"That so." Natasha sounded intrigued. "How many times can you go?"

"Not sure?" He scratched at his head with his free hand, vaguely embarrassed. "Get too sensitive to enjoy it after the fourth or fifth, so I never bothered to push for more."

"Want to find out?" Natasha looked predatory.

"What d'you have in mind," Steve prompted.

Natasha's predatory look sharpened. "I want a turn at riding you," she replied, "and then if you're up for it, I'll ask JARVIS to call Pepper so she can come have her one-on-one with you."

Steve watched her closely for a moment, but all he saw was a mix of arousal and anticipation. "And what do you plan to do in the meantime?"

"Shower. Maybe watch, if you're alright with that," came the prompt response.

"Maybe not the first time," he hedged, though the idea was an intriguing one after the way it had felt to get himself off for her.

"I can work with that," she acceded, and let go of his wrist to stand. He spent a moment admiring her silhouette before her hands came up to work the tiny buttons of her blouse free. It immediately dragged his attention to her throat and the pale skin she was revealing. Natasha looked pleased by his reaction to her, but said nothing as she continued slowly undressing.

When the pale fabric of her blouse hung from her shoulders and drifted freely on the air as she moved, Steve had to clear his throat. He didn't know what to say, either, so he stayed silent too. He didn't have to wait long for the blouse to flutter to the floor at her feet. Natasha's hands toyed with the waistline of her skirt for a moment before she reached for the zipper at her hip.

Its rasp was loud in the quiet of the room, but Steve forgot all about that a moment later; Natasha stood before him in the lacy bra he'd admired earlier, and matching underthings. The sharp contrast of the dark colors with her pale skin was lovely, and his hands itched to touch her. Rather than move and break the mood, though, he wound his hands in the sheets at his sides.

"You know," Natasha commented, her tone approaching casual, "I really want to break that iron self control you've got. Break you down until you don't know up from down, and all you want is to come one more time."

That...

That sounded like fun, actually.

Steve caught her eyes. "Another day."

It got a surprisingly open smile from her, and she peeled off the skimpy lace panties before she knelt on the bed, shuffling over until she could straddle his legs with her weight just below his knees. "Another day," she agreed, and reached for the condom he'd grabbed. "We might need more than just the one, but we'll deal with that later."

Deftly opening it, she had it on him almost before he realised what was going on. It made his hips jerk upwards and he gasped, surprised by the sudden touch that made his hands clench around the handfuls of his sheets. Natasha rode out the movement and reached for the slick. "Mmm, responsive," she commented. "This night just keeps getting better. Think you can last long enough to make me come?"

Steve had to close his eyes for a moment. "Won't know until we try, will we?"

"You make a good point," Natasha conceded, and reached down between them to line him up without further preamble.

Steve felt a deep tug in his gut at the sight, and Natasha smirked at the way he twitched in her hand. It was difficult not to give in to the impulse to thrust up into her, but he knew he needed to wait until she was settled. He distracted himself by forcing his hands to unclench, and letting them wander; he needed to touch, and knew it was welcome. His hands settled at her waist without a conscious decision from him, and wandered upward until they encountered the lace of her bra. Natasha threw back her head, enjoying the touches, as she slowly sheathed him in what felt like pure liquid heat.

"You can take it off, if you want," she offered once she had taken him all the way in. Her breathing had gone slightly ragged, and he could feel her muscles twitching around him as she adjusted.

"You know," he managed, reaching around her to undo the clasp, "I think I will."

It took him a couple of tries; his fingers were clumsier than usual. After the ends hung loose, Natasha shrugged it off her shoulders, and used one hand to tilt his chin up. It brought them nose to nose, and after a beat, she kissed him. Deeply.

It felt like she was trying to claim his mouth as thoroughly as she was wrecking the rest of him. It was all he could do just to process the sheer amount of input; Natasha tasted like a mix of lipstick and the dinner they'd just eaten, and the waxy feeling of the lipstick was distracting, with the way it made his lips stick to hers when he tried to kiss back. Her hands were holding him in place, helping him find the right angle to kiss her without making a hash of it, one at the nape of his neck and the other against his cheek.

His own hands had somehow gravitated back to her waist, and were kneading at the soft skin and muscle there. There were some small scars that he could feel, but not see, but now wasn't the time to ask about them. He set the observation aside for later, somewhere in the corner of his mind that still managed to maintain coherent thought.

It took what seemed like half a year for them to finally break apart, and Steve was pleased to see that Natasha was finally about as breathless as he was. "You ready," she asked.

"As I'll ever be," his hands tightened on her waist a fraction and he stopped resisting the urge to move.

Natasha made a noise that went straight to his cock, and used the leverage she had to start moving in counterpoint. "Yes, like that. More," she demanded, tilting her hips just so. On his next thrust, she moaned in the back of her throat and her muscles tightened around him. "Mmm, yes! You feel good, go on, harder! You won't hurt me."

He could tell he was getting close again, so Steve decided to be bold. He'd always been one to ignore risks and blaze paths, and there was no reason not to do that now. Shifting one hand so his forearm was under her ass, helping support her weight, he brought his other hand up, exploring. He traced a wandering path up her belly and to her breasts, palming one and enjoying the feeling of her hard nipple catching against the skin of his palm.

Natasha enjoyed that too, judging by the way she clenched down around him with a hitching breath. "Fuck, Steve! Yes!"

Her hands moved from their positions, and one drifted down to cover the hand he had on her breast, showing him what she liked. Encouraging him to pluck at the nipple, and knead the flesh in his hand. Her other hand snaked down to the thatch of red hair between her legs, and he suspected he knew what she was doing.

It didn't take long before she was coming, after that. "Oh! _Yes_!"

The way she all but convulsed around him was enough to set him off as well, with a near silent groan. He was pretty sure he looked as wrecked as he felt, in the aftermath.

Natasha caught his eyes and laughed. "I think I want another go. That was fun."

Steve snorted. "And what about Pepper?"

"She's a big girl, she can wait her turn." Natasha didn't make a move to disengage, even now that he was softening. "She's probably enjoying herself with one or both of the others, anyway."

"Well, then I'd say she's well taken care of." Steve debated with himself before he asked, "don't you want a shower?"

"Shut up and enjoy the afterglow first," she demanded and tucked her head into the join between his neck and shoulder.

Natasha slowly pulled off of him some ten minutes later, after he'd recovered enough to maybe want more, and got to her feet. "I'm going to shower, now. Want to join me?"

"Not like there's anything left you haven't seen," he quipped, stripping off the rubber and knotting it carefully. "Why not."

"We can try that again in the shower," she added, stepping away from the bed and hitting the light switch in the adjoining bathroom.

Steve snorted, following her into the bright tiled space and disposing of the rubber as he walked past the waste bin. "I thought the point was to get clean."

"Sure. After we get dirty again," Natasha shot back as she started the water running, "and if you can still take more after that, we'll see about calling Pepper."

"Three too many for you?" he asked, knowing that the solicitousness in his tone was ruined by his smirk.

"Not all of us are hopped up on super serum," she replied, testing the temperature of the water and stepping under it with a happy sigh.

He gave her a moment to wet her hair, then followed. His shower felt a lot smaller somehow, with another person in it, and that was making him awkward. Natasha reached up to slick back her wet hair, then lowered herself down to her knees with a raised eyebrow.

Steve had to clear his throat before his voice would work. "If you want, but that doesn't seem like it would get you that dirty."

"Oh, Steve," Natasha purred, "you have no idea, do you."

It wasn't really a question. "No?"

"Try not to choke me," she told him, bracing herself against his hip with one hand and running the fingers of the other along his length.

When she ducked her head and took him into her mouth, Steve couldn't help the way he tensed and his hips jerked. Natasha was ready for it, though, and just swayed back with the motion. It was hot and wet, and slick in a different way. And much more immediate than what they'd just done in the bed thanks to the lack of barrier between them.

Steve fumbled for something to hold onto when Natasha did something with her tongue that pressed the head of his cock against the roof of her mouth and made him see stars. After a couple of tries, he found the soapdish. It took him a few more tries to find his voice, and when he did he could hear the hoarseness roughening it. "Nat-- Natasha! Fuck!" She hummed in response, sending a shudder through him. "Natasha, if you do that again, I'm going to come," he gritted out, feeling the precipice creeping up on him.

That was apparently the wrong thing to say. She moaned around him, this time, just long enough to feel him go tense, and pulled back. "Mmm, yes," she said her own voice rough, holding his cock steady and working him through it as he came all over her throat and collarbones, "I knew that would be worth it."

Trying to catch his breath, Steve felt an aftershock go through him at the sight, something dark and animalistic in him wanting to stake a claim on her after that. "Damn. People like that kind of thing?"

"The blowjob, or the end result?" Natasha ran her hands up his legs, starting at his knees, and then let them wander around until she had two handfuls of his ass.

"What you did at the end." Steve wasn't sure what to think.

"Some people do." Natasha shrugged. "I happen to be one of them. Does it bother you?"

Well, it seemed harmless enough. Steve filed that away with a shrug and stepped out of the way of the spray of warm water. Natasha turned her face up into it, eyes closed. "No."

"Good. Do you like it?"

Steve hesitated. "'M not sure."

She accepted that without argument, reaching for the bottle of bodywash that had come with the apartment and never been opened, taking it and pouring some into the palm of her hand. When she started using it to soap him up, he startled slightly before he relaxed. Getting used to this level of touch was not as easy as he'd thought it would be. He'd gone so long without that every nerve ending felt electrified.

Luckily, he didn't have to go looking far for a distraction. The bodywash made a pretty good one, and, actually, Steve had to admit, it smelled nice, albeit rather strong. Picking up the bottle, Steve decided to return the favor. It made a nice excuse to get his hands all over her.

And, he realised belatedly, that was probably why she'd started doing it for him.

They said nothing more until they were done washing each other. It was strangely intimate. Almost moreso than the sex had been. "Now what?" he asked.

"Well, you have a choice." Natasha took a small step back, putting a little bit of space between them and not acknowledging the way his interest was picking up again. "Either, I can show you how to return the favor, or I can tap out and call Pepper."

That was a tougher choice than he'd expected, actually. Eventually, he gave in to his curiousity. "What do you mean, 'return the favour'?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Don't tell me you didn't read up on oral sex after our discussion."

"I read about a lot of things, and that was one," he replied. "But theory and practice are very different things."

Shaking her head at him, Natasha stood, and turned the water off. "Alright, then. Come on. Think of this as intensive hands-on training."

Steve reached for his towel, and offered her his spare, watching as she efficiently dried herself off. "I've always been a fast learner."

"I know." Natasha smirked. "And this is a good cause. You are going to blow Pepper's mind."

"What," Steve shot back, feeling daring, "not yours?"

"Oh," she purred, settling herself on the bed with a pillow under her hips and pointing imperiously to the expanse of bed between her knees, "you've done that already. Come here."

He settled himself there on his knees, then sat back on his heels.

"No, on your stomach," Natasha corrected, and he was starting to get an inkling of how this would work.

"Right," Steve couldn't find a way to position himself that didn't leave his feet and knees hanging off the end of the bed, and the sight made Natasha giggle.

"You need a bigger bed," she quipped.

"You need to tell me what you want," he shot back.

"What I want?" Natasha's voice went dark and he thought he could hear the lust rolling off it. "I want you to use your fingertips to explore. And then I want you to do it with your tongue."

Well, that was pretty clear. Shifting closer, Steve decided that the best thing to do was just dive in. He slid his hands up the insides of Natasha's thighs, watching as her breath hitched and her hips twitched in anticipation. The sensation when he got to the delicate skin between her thighs was interesting. The coarseness of her hair contrasted interestingly with the silky smoothness of her sex, and the slickness of the wetness there.

"Good," she said, "now give me more. I won't break if you use a little pressure."

With a mental shrug, he did as she instructed. "That's not very specific."

"I'll give you specific if and when you need it," Natasha retorted, tension starting to build in her voice. "You're doing fine so far."

He didn't have a response for that, so he let his fingers keep wandering. When he found the nub at her apex, she jerked in his hands. "That'll be important later," she said. "Remember that."

Steve huffed, amused. "Good?"

"Very. Now, put your fingers in me. Start with one." Natasha's voice broke briefly when he obeyed promptly, but she continued, "then two."

Natasha seemed to be working slowly up to asking him to use his mouth. He didn't want to wait that long. Steve couldn't help the smirk that the thought engendered, but carefully said nothing, shifting and carefully adding the second finger she'd asked for. As he pushed back in, enjoying the slick warmth and softness, he ducked his head and licked at the point where his fingers disappeared into her.

As the taste of musk and sex exploded over his tongue, Natasha all but levitated off the bed with a startled yelp. "Fuck! Steve!"

He tried again, this time applying himself to the little nub of flesh she'd said felt good, licking at it. That got him a breathless laugh, and Natasha clenched around his fingers. "You weren't kidding," she agreed, her hands fisting tightly in the bedclothes, "you do learn fast. More. Suck on my clit and crook your fingers-- ah!"

He continued what he was doing, in the absence of further instructions, and was rewarded with more moans. Chasing after those sounds of enjoyment, Steve decided to add another finger and see what happened.

"Fuck! Yes!" What happened was Natasha's back arching as she came, clenching down tightly on his fingers and riding them as she had his cock earlier.

He didn't stop. _This_ was something he'd read about, and definitely wanted to try, now that he was seeing it in action. Natasha continued to writhe, now breathless in the wake of her orgasm, and obvious in her enjoyment. It surprised both of them when she came again, with a wavering cry.

"Bozhe moi," she stopped him that time. "If you don't stop, I might pass out."

He lifted his head but didn't pull his fingers free, slightly concerned. "Are you alright?"

Natasha freed her hands and reached down to thread them into his hair. "I'm so much better than alright. But four is one more than I can get to without a chance to rest in between."

That, combined with her comment about how many times _he_ could go gave him an idea. He was pretty sure it was a good one. "And if I wanted to see how many times I could get you to come on my fingers?"

Her grip on him tightened briefly, and she bit her lip, her eyes falling closed. Steve was gratified by the way her muscles tightened around his fingers again. Then she moved one hand down to wrap around his wrist and pull his fingers out. "Next time. I want something to drink, and I'm fairly sure you should eat something after that."

He didn't feel hungry, actually. "I could probably go another round first," Steve replied, "but if you're tapping out, that wouldn't be nearly as much fun."

Natasha sat up, forcing him to do the same, and shoved playfully at his shoulder. "Food first, sex machine."

Steve laughed, letting himself be pushed, and stood. "That was a song reference, wasn't it?"

"Very good." Natasha got to her feet and walked out of the room, not wearing a stitch, and he followed suit. Not much sense in modesty after what they'd just done.


	3. Chapter 3

As he finished the last few bites of his fruit and cheese, the chime signalling a visitor at his door sounded. He tried, ultimately unsuccessfully, to stare down Natasha, in a bid to find out whether this was her doing.

"Aren't you going to answer that, Steve," she asked him with more than a hint of a smirk on her face.

"I should make you do it," he grumbled as the chime rang again, and ducked back into the bedroom for his pants.

As he hitched them over his hips, the a familiar voice carried easily through the apartment, and he wanted to groan. Natasha had taken him literally again, but only because it suited her purposes to do so.

Sure enough, when he re-entered the kitchen, the two women were seated at the small table, talking quietly. Natasha still wasn't wearing a thing, but that didn't seem to faze Pepper in the least. If anything, Pepper's eyes were lingering appreciatively on Natasha's breasts and trim waist as she listed off what sounded like things that needed to be slotted into her agenda as Stark Industries' CEO. Pepper glanced up when he re-entered the room, and smiled brightly. "Well, hello handsome," she purred letting her eyes linger on his exposed chest just as she had Natasha, "come sit down and join us."

Might as well roll with the metaphorical punches, he decided, trying not to let his own eyes linger on the wide expanses of Natasha's bare skin. He'd only get more embarrassed if he started getting hard again in his pants. "Can I get you anything?"

"Mmm, in a few minutes," Pepper replied. "What I want isn't something you can find in that fridge of yours."

Natasha leered at him openly. "Oh, you'll enjoy it," she informed Pepper. "If you decide in favour, I'm all for double-teaming him after the two of you have gotten to know one another."

Pepper eyed him up and down in a way that made him blush. "Steve?"

He said nothing for a long enough moment that Natasha jumped in. "This'll be round four for him," she informed Pepper, who blinked, surprised, then stared. A slow smile took hold and grew as she considered the thought. "I'm in, if he is," she replied. "But first, I want to enjoy him a little."

"Ask me about that again later," Steve found his voice long enough to answer.

Natasha looked him over from head to toe, with a look in her eyes that promised all manner of carnal fun. "I don't plan to go anywhere for the duration," she told Pepper. "Come find me after."

Pepper stood and took the two steps over to where Steve was sitting. "Come on," she told him, putting a delicate finger under his chin and tilting his head up so she could lean in for a kiss, "take me to bed and show me what you've learned."

It was a challenge, and he'd never been able to resist those. Steve considered approaches for a moment then nodded. "Alright. Bedroom's this way."

He was pretty sure Pepper was using the excuse of letting him lead the way to stare at his ass. It didn't bother him at all, for all that it made him feel a little exposed. In fact, it was starting to get him worked up again.

Walking back into the bedroom, though, Steve almost winced; it still smelled strongly of sex, and the clothes strewn all over the floor didn't really make the best impression. "Sorry 'bout the mess."

Pepper stepped up to put her hands on his chest and run them over his skin. "I've seen worse. And frankly, Natasha and I have been lovers long enough to know each other, and that includes how she smells." Pepper's nails dug into his skin just enough to leave a delicate set of red lines as she drew them over his abs, and he twitched. It didn't really hurt, but it definitely got his attention as she continued. "I know how she tastes, too. And, Steve, if it had been a stranger, I might have been offended. But we talked about this. I knew I would be sharing you with my lovers, and that they would all be clamouring to climb you like a tree."

Steve blinked, at that. He'd known Tony probably would, but Clint? He shook off the thought, though. It wasn't relevant. "And do you?"

"Oh," Pepper smiled, and it had a dark sensual edge he wasn't expecting, "definitely."

Damn. That smile was making him hard. He decided not to mention that; it would almost certainly get taken advantage of. "So what do you like?" Steve tried to redirect the conversation slightly. "We talked about it, but I've never tried most of those things."

Pepper laughed and started making herself comfortable. "Get the rest of your supplies," she told him as she stripped the dirty blankets off the bed, "and I'll do you one better; I'll show you."

Steve shrugged and obeyed. This time he grabbed a handful of condoms, and a hand towel. He'd learned from last time, thanks, and didn't want to have to touch any more of his sheets with lube or come on his hands. When he stepped back out of the bathroom, he had to stop and stare.

Pepper had stripped down to her underthings and lain back on his bed on her side, one leg relaxed and the other bent at the knee so she could plant her foot behind her other calf. The position had clearly been calculated to appeal, drawing attention to her long legs and slender figure. Pepper was lithe, and she knew how to take advantage of that. When she saw his reaction, she smiled almost sweetly. "Steve?"

It took him a moment to work past the sight enough to get himself moving again, and realised a little belatedly that he was fully hard, after that little display. "I'm fine. Just not sure how--" he broke off, searching for the right words and not finding them.

"How what?" Pepper asked.

Steve shook his head, setting down the supplies he'd grabbed near the head of the bed. "It's not that important."

She didn't look convinced, but let it go. "Come here," Pepper said instead, patting the bed beside her.

Recovering most of his mental equilibrium, he did as she asked, sitting on the bed by her hips, facing her. Pepper's hands went to his, and pulled them towards her until she was putting his hand against the smooth skin of her belly. "Go on," she prompted, "I don't bite. Unless you want me to."

Steve huffed, amused, and did what she wanted, letting his hands roam over skin and underwear alike. This seemed a lot like what Natasha had done; it felt like a way to ease him into things without spooking him and left him wondering whether to push the envelope. He'd gotten a fantastic reaction out of Natasha when he'd done it with her...

When he rubbed at her nipples through her bra, she made a soft sound, and arched up into the touch. That decided him, and Steve couldn't hold back a smirk. He tweaked at the nipple until it poked through the thin material of her bra, then bent to take it in his mouth.

Pepper yelped surprised, then moaned loudly. "Steve!"

When he reached down with his other hand to apply the rest of what Natasha had taught him, Pepper squeaked and thrust up into his touch, her hands clenching on fistfuls of the sheets. The movement jarred his arm just enough to send his fingers sliding down away from the little nub of flesh he'd been teasing, and down further, between her legs. 

"Oh!" Pepper shuddered, and tried to thrust down onto his fingers, and Steve laughed around his mouthful. He brought his other hand down to continue working at the sensitive point at the apex of her sex and shifted over to take her other nipple into his mouth. "Fuck! More!"

Tired of having her underwear in the way, he peeled the panties off her hips, not caring what happened to them once they hit her knees. He had access to what he wanted, and Pepper definitely appreciated it, judging by the way she moaned when he started working her again. Pushing two fingers in to the first knuckle got another shout of his name.

"Steve! Oh God." Pepper's hands came up to bury themselves in his hair and pull him up away from her breast to the curve where her neck met her shoulder. "Here," she gasped out, breathless.

Carefully, he set his teeth and slowly increased the pressure he was using until she made another satisfied sound deep in her throat. Pushing his fingers deeper got him another thrust of her hips, and then Pepper was clenching around him with a loud moan.

He let go of the skin between his teeth and straightened up, but didn't pull his fingers free.

It took Pepper a few long seconds to regain the composure to speak. "Well, shit," she said simply.

Steve snickered, starting to really enjoy this. "One more?"

"Natasha wasn't kidding," was all Pepper managed, still a little dazed.

"About what?" Now Steve was curious. They must have found a way to gossip about him.

Refocusing just enough, Pepper replied. "All she said was 'Two words: learning curve.'"

And if that wasn't enough to make a man feel smug, nothing was. "You never answered the question," he prompted, crooking his fingers a little, like Natasha had shown him. It made her muscles clench around his fingers, and sent a hard shudder through her.

"Later," she decided and fumbled for a condom. "First, I want to see what else Natasha showed you."

"Sure you don't want a break in between?"

Pepper raised an eyebrow at him. "What I want is for you to put that rubber on and fuck me."

Well, that was a request he wasn't about to ignore. He crooked his fingers one more time, just to feel her muscles flutter around him, then pulled them out and wiped them off on the towel he'd grabbed before he accepted the condom from her and rolled it on. The sensation was simultaneously too much and not enough, and made him realise just how turned on he was. "You gonna keep your underthings on?"

"Do you want me to?" She shot back, and Steve found himself pausing to think about that.

"Nah," he said, "maybe another time."

With an amused sound, Pepper arched her back enough to reach behind her back and undo the closure on her bra. She slid it off her shoulders and dropped it over the edge of the bed.

She removed her panties, which had somehow stayed caught on her knees, next, but Steve wasn't paying attention to that. He brought his hands up to cup her breasts and explore as he hadn't been able to with the bra in the way. Her nipples were still flushed red, though they weren't stiff peaks anymore. 

Pepper let him do what he wanted for a little while, but it was clear she had no intention of waiting for him to have his fill. "Steve," she threaded her hands back into his hair and tilted his head up until he had to meet her eyes, "I want you in me. Now."

He laughed, but conceded the point. "Alright, alright. How do you want to do this?"

Pepper said nothing. Instead she gave him an arch look and made no move to change positions except to pointedly spread her legs.

With a mental shrug, Steve decided to go with it. He settled himself on his knees between her legs, then slid a hand between her lower back and the mattress, hitching her up a few inches, and caught her eyes as he lined himself up. Satisfied that neither of them would slip, he moved his hand to settle on her waist. A beat later, her hands wrapped tightly around his upper arms, and she thrust downward, trying to take him in.

"Damn it, Steve," she grumbled, when he didn't push in or let her force the issue, just letting the sensation of his cockhead at her entrance tantalise them both, "stop teasing and put your cock in me. Did Natasha put you up to this?"

"Put me up to what?" Steve shifted his grip on her waist and started to slowly push in, centimeter by centimeter.

Pepper let her head fall back and moaned, and there was more relief in the sound than he'd expected. Steve moved the hand he had at her waist, taking her weight with the other, and brought it down to run his fingers through the wetness gathering between her legs. The sounds it got him in response only encouraged him to continue, so he did, caressing the soft folds of her sex as he sheathed himself. It wasn't exactly easy to do, with the intense sensations of warmth and pressure pounding through him in time with his heartbeat, urging him into motion he knew he shouldn't indulge yet.

After he bottomed out, he stopped, gathering his shredding control. "Good," he asked Pepper.

She gave him a look, then used the grip she had on his arms for the leverage she needed to lean up and kiss him deeply. The slick motion of her tongue and the way she let her lips just cling to his before she pulled back only to dive in again, was enough to make his hips jerk in an involuntary thrust. He used the momentum of the motion to pull back slightly and force himself still.

The kiss didn't last, after that. Pepper pulled back and her hands let go of his arms to trail down his flanks before sliding around his sides and to his ass. She caught and held his eyes with a smirk, then used the leverage her grip gave her to thrust up. The movement pushed him deep again and ground her hips against his. Pepper held him there, her nails digging into his skin just slightly, until his eyes fell closed, almost overwhelmed by the way it felt, for all that he'd just done this with Natasha. "Pepper!"

"Mmm," she hummed, her tone content and smug, as he drew a hitching breath. "You feel good, Steve."

It broke the floodgates wide open, and he couldn't have stopped himself if he'd wanted to after that. Just to make it better, Pepper simply met him on every movement. Steve made sure he had enough control left to keep his strength reined in, but more than that was beyond him. As it was, even that control was fraying quickly.

When Pepper brought one leg up to wrap it around his waist, Steve couldn't help the way his fists clenched tightly around handfuls of his sheets. The change in position made her muscles squeeze around him in interesting new ways when they moved. "I--" he started, and lost the thread when Pepper tightened around him in what was clearly an intentional movement. "Shit," he ground out between his teeth, his world narrowing down to the way she felt around him. "I'm not gonna last much longer if you keep that up."

"Touch me some more," she responded, and he remembered the hand he'd been using to tease her, earlier.

He hadn't moved it far; it had migrated back to her hip to steady her movements without a conscious decision on his part. Now he brought it back down to where Pepper wanted it, and tried to remember what Natasha had shown him. He was pretty sure it would still work if his fingers had been replaced with his cock. Whether he'd be able to put it into practice, distracted as he was, was the question.

It took him a few attempts to work out how to coordinate the movements of his hips and his fingers to get the best response out of Pepper, but when he managed, he was rewarded with a loud moan and another squeeze of her muscles around him. It was nearly enough to push him over the edge, though, and he wanted Pepper to come first.

A few strokes later, she started to tense, her muscles winding tighter and tighter, and he knew she was close. With the shreds of control he had left, he leaned down to kiss his way down her neck to set his teeth where she'd shown him.

This time, Pepper keened as she came, and the feeling pulled him over the edge after her. When reality reasserted itself, he found himself all but gasping for breath, and holding himself up on his elbows. His hands were tangled in the sheets, and fisted tightly. His fingers ached sharply when he forced them to uncurl.

Pepper's hands threaded into his hair, combing it back away from his face, then came down to settle against his jaw. It was comforting, and surprisingly calming. She smiled, a sated look in her eyes, seeing him turn into the touch. "Come here," she murmured, and coaxed him into pulling out and dealing with the condom so he could stretch out next to her. Once he was settled, she rolled over until she was half sprawled across his chest and wrapped her arms around him. "Mm, that's better."

Steve huffed, amused, and let her cuddle him. It felt nice.


	4. Chapter 4

He woke when Pepper stood and stretched, unaware of having closed his eyes. "Pepper?"

"You stay right there," she replied, and stepped out of the bedroom.

Probably to report back to Natasha, he decided, amused. A glance at the clock on his desk revealed that it was nearly midnight, and he blinked.

They'd been at it for _that long_? No wonder he actually felt tired. He wouldn't be sore in the morning, but he'd have to eat well. The prospect made him smile.

Under a minute later, Pepper reappeared and Natasha was with her.

Natasha caught his attention, the smirk teasing at her lips making him unsure whether he should be more intrigued or apprehensive about what they had planned. When Natasha spoke, he decided it was neither.

"Still want to find out how many times you can go?" she asked.

Steve held her eyes for a moment. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well," she replied, lingering over the words as though she could caress them with her lips, "I thought we could find out what else you like. You said you'd be interested in trying a number of things, when we talked. Now's your chance to do it with us."

Pepper jumped in. "You could let one of us fuck you, if you wanted," she offered, and held up... a dick attached to a harness?

Oh. Steve forced down the blush he could feel starting to climb his neck. "I... don't know? I--"

Natasha looked him over from head to toe before she spoke. "If it makes you uncomfortable, you can say no. We wanted to offer you the chance to try certain things out before you spend time with Clint or Tony."

"No?" Steve made a face, hearing how uncertain he sounded. "It's not that I'm uncomfortable," he tried again. "It's just..." he shrugged, "new."

That brought a small smile to Pepper's face. "But do you want to," she persisted, and he knew he had to answer.

Steve tried to force the ideas crowding his head aside. "Yeah."

"Then you can tell us to stop anytime you stop wanting to," Pepper informed him, and Steve stopped in his mental tracks.

That... changed everything, actually. And, now that he thought about it, there had been a clause in the reading JARVIS had prepared for him that had mentioned precisely that. He nodded. "Alright."

Natasha looked downright gleeful. "So," she asked Pepper, "who gets to pop his cherry?"

Pepper snorted. "You got first crack at the rest of him. I want that."

Steve raised an eyebrow at them, hearing them argue over him like a side of beef, but it didn't even seem to register. Natasha stared Pepper down for a moment, then nodded. "I suppose that's fair."

"Don't I get a say in this," he protested halfheartedly.

"No," Pepper shot back, "unless it really bothers you enough to call a halt."

It didn't. Not really. So he let it slide. "I guess I can cope."

"Good," Pepper nodded and turned to Natasha. "Want to open him up?"

Natasha caught his eyes and held them while Pepper did... something he couldn't quite see. "Steve?"

"Yeah?" He wasn't sure what she wanted, and it must have shown.

"You know what's about to happen?" she asked, picking up the bottle of lube he'd grabbed earlier and never ended up using. She hefted it in her hand once or twice, then double-checked the label. Whatever she saw must have been good, because she nodded in approval before turning her attention back to him.

"In theory?" He eyed the bottle, watching as she opened the cap with a snap of plastic-on-plastic, and poured some onto her fingers without looking away from him.

"Well," Natasha purred, "I'm going to lube up my fingers," she suited actions to words as she spoke, "and then use them to lube _you_ up."

That was more or less what he'd expected to hear, but the thought of letting her do it still made him feel exposed. Natasha took the opportunity to settle on her stomach between his knees, her dry hand rubbing at his hip.

"Yes?" she prompted him.

He shivered, indecisive for a bare moment, before curiousity won out and he nodded. "Yes."

"Just one, to start," she told him, holding up her index finger. The lube coating it gleamed sightly in the low light, and Steve felt a twitch of interest go through him, his dick starting to get hard again. Then she was shouldering his right leg, and running her fingers back and forth along his crack, giving him a chance to get used to the feeling.

"Done this before," he asked, not sure whether he was more relieved or surprised that he wasn't feeling sore or chafed yet.

"What," Natasha smirked, "the pegging, the prep, or deflowering a virgin?"

"Any of it?" he replied.

Pepper snorted, amused, and Steve glanced over in time to see her rolling a condom over the dick she was now wearing. It was surprisingly hot.

Natasha let him look for a moment before she answered. "Pegging is the name for what Pepper is about to do to you, and that is something that we both do fairly often. Tony likes it. The prep is a necessity before any kind of anal penetration," her fingers pressed against his hole and he shivered, "and therefore also routine. But," she paused, "I haven't come across a lot of virgins."

That was weirdly pleasing, and he felt a little of the tension go out of him. "Somehow I'm not too surprised."

Natasha smiled slightly when he relaxed. "Good," she praised and slipped the tip of a finger into him. "The less you tense up, the better this will be. For everyone."

It felt... weird; the fingertip inside him didn't feel make him feel anything but pressure. Steve couldn't help the way his hips shifted.

In response, Natasha used the grip she had on his hip to pin him to the mattress with most of her weight. It wouldn't do anything if he really wanted to get free, Steve, knew, but it still made everything more intense. Including the finger, which pushed deeper into him.

Once he was used to the feeling, Natasha pulled back and added a second finger. This time it felt like a stretch, but it was good, and he whined in the back of his throat, feeling himself harden fully. His hand drifted down until he could jerk himself off, and neither Natasha nor Pepper stopped him. He kept the rhythm slow and light, teasing himself until he had to bite his lip to keep himself from moving and dislodging Natasha's fingers.

Just before his eyes drifted shut on the scene so he could focus on the sensations, he heard Pepper mutter, "that is unfairly hot."

Natasha hummed agreement, but didn't stop the careful movements of her fingers, spreading them apart inside him to open him up further. After an indeterminate length of time, Natasha added a third finger. That meant also adding more lube and stretching him further, and Steve drew in a stuttering breath.

And promptly lost it again, when Natasha brushed up against something inside him that made the world go white.

When he could focus on more than the pleasure shuddering through him again, Natasha was giggling and he had come all over him. "Might have to be gentle with him, Pepper," she teased both of them, her fingers still inside Steve but relaxed now. Turning her attention back to him, Natasha added, "I guess that means fingering definitely does it for you."

Not quite sure what to say, Steve opted to say nothing. He groped for the towel he knew was somewhere nearby, and eventually found it. After he'd cleaned himself up, Natasha caught his eyes. "More? If not, Pepper and I can entertain ourselves."

He had to think about that. He did want to see what it felt like to have Pepper fuck him. But he wasn't sure whether he had another round in him. "Try it," he eventually said.

Natasha smirked at him, a decidedly evil edge to the expression, and did something with her fingers that had her pressing up against that one amazing spot again, just hard enough to make him whine. His hands flew up to settle on her shoulders, in an attempt to find some leverage. "Do, or do not," she quoted, and Pepper laughed outright, caught off guard by the joke. "There is no try."

Steve would have rolled his eyes at her, if he hadn't been wholly distracted by what she was doing to him. It should have been too much, and would have been had she been doing it to someone else, he suspected. As it was, it made him groan and thrust up in an attempt to get more, amazed when he noticed that he was actually getting hard again.

Pepper had a look in her eyes that approximated awe when Natasha finally pronounced him ready and pulled her fingers out. He felt suddenly empty and bereft, and he was sure it showed in his expression, because Pepper immediately took Natasha's place, throwing his legs over her shoulders, slicking herself up, and then slowly pressing in.

It didn't hurt, exactly, but the stretch was deeper than it had been when Natasha had had her fingers in him, and it made Steve's back arch more with each inch she slid deeper. When she bottomed out, her hips pressing against his ass, Steve finally found his voice again. "Damn," he managed, "is this what it's like for you?"

In response, Natasha reached out to run a hand through his hair from her position next to them on the bed. "Not exactly, but it's close enough, from what I can gather."

"Fuck," was the only word that came to mind after that, and he hadn't meant to voice it, but once it was out he wasn't about to take it back.

It got him amused looks from both Natasha and Pepper, but they did just that a moment later. Pepper put her hands into the crooks of his knees, using the position to keep him from squirming too much, and started moving slowly, obviously trying to get a feel for his reactions. Meantime, the hand Natasha had in his hair balled itself into a fist, putting just enough pressure on his scalp to sting a little and focus his attention. Her other hand wrapped around his cock, jerking him off with no hesitation.

With so much stimulation, it wasn't long before he was coming again, the sensation seeming to run through his entire body, including his hair.

This time, when he came down from the high, he could tell he was done, and when Pepper caught his eye and asked him if he wanted to go again, he shook his head. Words escaped him briefly.

Carefully pulling out, Pepper disposed of the used rubber, stripped off the harness, and reached out to pull Natasha up off the bed and after her into the adjoining bathroom. A moment later, the water started running, and Steve could only stare after them and wish he'd had one more round in him after all as their voices started echoing off the tiles.

He was asleep long before they were finished, but woke briefly to the feeling of being gently cleaned up, tucked in, and cuddled. That time he fell asleep with a smile.


	5. Chapter 5

When he woke the following morning, Natasha was already gone and the room had been tidied a little. Pepper was wrapped around him like a clingy octopus though, and he couldn't help the amused smirk that tugged at his lips at the sight.

For all that she could be fearsome when she wanted, Pepper was a soft touch at heart, and he was happy that he'd been given the chance to see it. As far as he was concerned, this was about more than just the sex, though that had been amazing and he definitely wanted to do that again sometime.

He was just contemplating allowing himself a lazy morning in bed and skipping his run -- Pepper didn't get to sleep in often, he knew that for a fact -- when JARVIS pinged silently for his attention.

_Captain, Agent Romanov is requesting your presence on the communal level._

Well, there went that plan out the window.

Steve swallowed back a sigh, and instead tried to untangle himself. He was half successful. By the time he'd managed to free his legs, Pepper was blinking sleepily up at him.

"Go back to sleep if you want," he told her, and dropped a kiss on her forehead.

"Mmm," Pepper stretched languidly, keeping one hand on him the whole time. "No. Coffee."

"That can be arranged," Steve replied, and went willingly when he felt her start to pull him in for a real kiss.

"Where's 'Tasha," she asked, then covered her face as she yawned, still only half awake.

"Downstairs on the common floor." Steve gently peeled her hands off him and stood. "JARVIS, please let Natasha know I'll be there shortly."

"I do not doubt that she knows already, but I will inform her," the AI replied, a definite tone of dry humour in his voice.

Steve nodded. "Probably. Thanks JARVIS."

Ten minutes later, he was showered and dressed, and more or less ready to find out what Natasha wanted. She usually waited until afternoon for updates on the various projects that Pepper, Tony, the team, or SHIELD were working on. So there was a good chance that this was important.

Steve could almost see Pepper coming to the same conclusions as she regained awareness. She'd put her clothes from last night back on while he'd showered, but waited for him to come back out before she'd left. "I'm going upstairs first," she told him. "Save me some breakfast."

He nodded. "Bring Tony if he's still up there."

With a nod and another yawn, she set off on what he assumed was a quest for fresh clothes.

\------

Natasha, Clint, and Tony were already in the communal kitchen. Clint and Tony were both hunched over mugs of fresh coffee, while Natasha watched them with an indulgent smirk. She perked up when Steve walked in.

"Steve," she greeted him with a serious mien, and pointed imperiously to a chair next to Tony, "sit."

He raised an eyebrow at her, but acceded to the demand. Almost immediately, she set a heaped plate of food in front of him. "Eat and listen," she told him, and waited until he was chewing the first mouthful before she went on. "Tony found some weird chatter in SHIELD's databases, and traced it back, hoping to find out what they were talking about."

Steve gave her a level look and waited. That was incredibly vague.

Tony took up the thread, instead, though. "I'm sure you remember how I hacked SHIELD during the Chitauri mess."

Steve nodded. He'd been quite put off by the tactic at the time, but it had proven to be the correct move. "Go on," he prompted, and took another bite of food.

"Well, at the time, I didn't find much in there that was worth pursuing," Tony said, and nodded when Steve made a disbelieving sound. "Yeah, I know. I thought the same thing." He paused to take a slug of coffee, then turned to kiss Pepper as she walked by him on her way to the coffee pot. After a moment of silence, he went on. "Well, it turns out that hunch was correct. I was poking through that data again recently, and happened to go grab an updated copy of SHIELD's servers more or less on a whim, and guess what."

It wasn't a question, but Steve answered anyway. "You found something."

Tony nodded. "Potentially something big. There were hints about weird medical research on consciousness transfer last time I grabbed a copy of their server images. Well, this time there were a few more, and I found some references to memory alteration and deletion as well. But, it's the locations of these supposed experiments that's even more interesting."

"Well," Clint put in, "don't keep us in suspense."

Tony shrugged, and continued. "These experiments are supposedly being done at Camp Lehigh," he said, "which was decommissioned as a military base in the '70s. It hasn't been retrofitted or used for anything else since. Officially."

That name sent a sharp spike of mixed anger and shock through Steve. He found himself suppressing a growl. Not only was this on American soil, but also it potentially sullied a lot of good memories. He managed to rein himself in long enough for the others to decide he didn't have anything to say yet. Natasha nodded.

"Someone's squatting," she summed up, "and doing something that sounds very illegal. I was sent on several missions just after the Expo that indirectly involved Lehigh, and there were definite signs that it was occupied at the time. The significance of that wasn't clear until now."

" _And_ ," Tony emphasised, "SHIELD seems to condone, or at least ignore it."

"It sounds damn suspicious to me," Clint grumbled, "but I've gotta say: Fury might occasionally condone illegal shit, but this is a whole 'nother level of fucked up. I don't think this is his doing."

Steve had to agree. His assessment of Fury matched Clint's .

Natasha looked at Clint sharply, though. This wasn't an opinion Clint had volunteered before. At least, not on this topic. "You think the Council has a hand in this?"

Clint held out a hand and made a maybe-maybe-not gesture. "Hard to tell. Could also be some other unaffiliated group hacking SHIELD and leaving behind something they want to be found. Or something SHIELD is looking into with the intent to shut it down."

"It's possible," Natasha conceded, "but the pieces Tony retrieved looked like fragments of electronic lab notebooks."

Steve's fork clicked down on an empty plate, and he blinked down at it. He'd managed to clear it without realising as he thought and listened to the discussion. "So you think we should call in Bruce and Thor and investigate?"

Tony shook his head. "Thor is about as subtle as a brick to the head, and Banner is even worse. If we want to have a chance of keeping this out of the news, we shouldn't."

Steve nodded. "Do we have clearance from Fury?"

"No." Natasha looked deadly serious, now. "We are not involving SHIELD until we can be sure they're clean. The experiments that Tony found? They read like transcripts straight out of the Nuremberg Trials."

Clint looked nauseated. "Ugh. Really? More of this Nazi shit?"

Steve looked around at each of his teammates. He'd read about the Trials, and been alternately viciously pleased that the officers involved in that regime's atrocities had stood trial, and disgusted that even one had walked away a free man. That raised another important question, though. "How many people are you estimating are on this base? And can they count on support from elsewhere?"

"We have no way of confirming, at this point in time," Tony answered, "but based on the power usage readings I've managed to get a hold of, I'd say probably at least a hundred."

\------

Six hours later, Steve watched as Clint piloted the quinjet to a quiet spot outside the tiny township of Wheaton, New Jersey. Located out in the sticks, in the rural areas along the border with New York, the base was actually fairly conspicuous, if you knew what to look for. The SSR had essentially bought out an old farm and transformed it into a bare-bones training facility. It hadn't had much more than a few small barracks, a mess hall, a munitions bunker and and an obstacle course, at the time he'd been there.

Now it looked... well, abandoned. At least from the air.

It hadn't been until they'd decided that all of them but Tony were going to approach on foot, that the subtle traces of occupancy became clear. Steve could see some signs that people had been and gone. Slightly less rust on the gate hinges than on the rest of the structure, slightly less dust accumulated in the corners of doorways, and, here and there, a bootprint.

Clint caught his eye and nodded. "Someone's definitely home. Or has been recently."

Natasha nodded. "Stark," she requested, "keep an eye on the access roads. Does your infrared scan pick up anything?"

"I'm picking up no heat signatures that would indicate the presence of people, which is making me wonder where the fuck they are if they're not here, but there does appear to be a server room about two hundred meters to your 10 o'clock."

In the munitions... wait. Steve scowled. "That munitions bunker used to be about half a click away from the base itself, due to regulations."

Clint grinned and cracked his knuckles. "Then we have a good chance of finding something interesting in there," he quipped. "Come on down, Stark. If it's a server room, we might need your expertise."

"No," Steve interjected. "Let's scope it out first. I'd rather have someone watching our backs from out here for as long as we can arrange it."

The interior of the munitions bunker was what you'd expect, on what counted as ground level. Emptied of the crates and boxes it had once held, it looked like nothing more than a large concrete room. The ancient light switch still worked, when Clint tried it, and he looked surprised when it did. "Well, we know that power's on in here."

"You sure the server signature's coming from here, Stark?" Natasha glanced around, an unimpressed expression on her face.

"Yep," came the reply. Tony sounded almost offended that she would doubt his instrumentation, and Steve had to concede that he had a point. "Actually," a thoughtful note entered Tony's voice as he continued, "the signal strength from the server room just jumped to about double what they were. Something you did may have tripped an alarm or sensor."

Clint snorted. "Well, there are no alarms sounding or flashing red lights. I'm gonna say, continue, but proceed with caution."

Steve nodded. "I concur. Keep an eye on the approaches to the base for now. Hawkeye," he turned to the archer, "any chance there's a hidden door in here?"

"Hmm," he considered that, looking more closely at the seams in the concrete. "Kinda looks like you're standing right on it, Cap," Clint said, "but I don't see an obvious mechanism."

Steve looked down at the area around his feet, and, sure enough. Now that he was looking for it, he could see the rectangular door outlined by the seams in the concrete. He paused for a moment, considering, then suggested, "Hawkeye, I'd like you on lookout. Iron Man, want to come see if you can't blast this open?"

Tony's grin was clearly audible. "Copy that, Cap. Need a lift somewhere, Legolas?"

"Just to the tallest roof on base," Clint replied, stepping back outside and into the afternoon sunlight. It was early March, so there were still scattered patches of snow on the ground and the wind that blew was raw and blustery for all that the sun shone brightly.

Tony touched down just long enough to hook his hand into the harness he'd built into Hawkeye's uniform, and then immediately took off again. Less than thirty seconds later, he was walking into the bunker, and looking around. Steve, still standing on the trap door, pointed it out to him without a word.

"Right. Cap, Widow, I need you outside, and I'm closing the door," he said, tone serious and almost dark. "This is going to send concrete shrapnel all over the place."

Natasha paused only long enough to catch his eyes through his mask, and then followed Tony's directions. Steve followed, a suspicion simmering in the back of his mind about the reason why Tony was so serious about shrapnel. It wasn't a pleasant one. He could have argued. Could have stayed to supervise or help if need be. The shield would protect his head and torso, and the rest would heal quickly even if anything happened to get through the armoured panels of his uniform.

But conceding the point here cost him nothing, let Tony feel better about just blasting his way through, and saved him the experience of breathing concrete dust.

The idea still made something in his throat go tight, for all that he _knew_ his asthma was long gone and the dust would be a minor irritation at best.

When the sounds of Tony's repulsors firing stopped, they waited a few seconds before cautiously reopening the bunker door. The cloud of dust that wafted out when they did was enough to convince Steve that he'd have been uncomfortable staying inside while Tony worked. Despite the Serum working to keep him in top shape.

Tony had knelt down next to the jagged edge of the hole he'd blasted and was studying the heavy metal panel that had been exposed, muttering under his breath to JARVIS about latches and locking mechanisms. Steve stepped up beside him and crouched down. "Can you open it?"

"Oh, sure," Tony replied absently, "but cutting through it might set off more alarms."

Steve snorted, amused. "Just do it. At this point, I think if there were any alarms set to go off, they already will have."

"I'm not so sure about that, Cap," Tony replied, but stood with a shrug and readied his cutting laser. "Here goes. Don't look at the laser."

It was the work of about fifteen seconds for Tony to cut a roughly round hole in the metal plate. The cut section fell, and clanged its way loudly down what sounded like two flights of stairs in near total darkness. Steve sighed and leveled a mild glare at Tony.

Tony made an amused sound at the look on his face. "What? If you wanted stealthy, you shouldn't have called for me."

Natasha rolled her eyes and stepped past them to start climbing down the stairs below the opening Tony had carved. "Save the flirting for later. We need to get on with this," she chided them as she produced a tiny LED flashlight from somewhere in her costume.

Steve huffed, not sure whether he was more amused or irritated, and followed her down. Tony used his palm repulsor to illuminate the stairs briefly before he followed, satisfied that they would hold his weight. The darkness around them almost felt like a physical weight as he followed Natasha down the short hallway at the bottom of the stairs, and counted doors. There were seven of them; three on either side of the hallway and one at the end.

Tony paused, then shouldered carefully past Steve to point at the center door on the left. "That's where the server signal is coming from," he announced. "And," he continued, "I don't feel like being watched. Say goodnight."

As he finished speaking, he repulsored a surveillance camera in the corner of the hallway that Steve hadn't noticed. "Huh," he said, interest in his tone. "Server activity just spiked again."

Steve decided he didn't like the implications of that. "Right. We'll check the other rooms first, and then come back for what's on the servers. Widow, hit the first two rooms on the right. Iron Man, the remaining rooms on the left. I'll take the farthest two."

The first room he entered was empty, though it showed signs of fairly recent use. The one Tony opened and ducked into contained something that got Tony's hackles up in an instant. "What the fuck. A repurposed dental chair," he narrated, his voice flat and unimpressed, then stopped dead in his verbal tracks. A sound approximating an angry growl came from him a moment later. "That better not be what I think it is," he muttered over the comms.

Steve didn't reply; he knew with a kind of bone-deep certainty that he didn't even want to know what Tony thought it was. The other room he'd picked contained a few scattered papers, and was lined with waist-high counters that supported cabinets filled with bottles of esoteric-sounding chemical compounds. This clearly had been fairly recently used as a chemistry lab, and he didn't like the conclusions he was drawing from that.

It was Natasha who eventually responded. "Just leave it for now. It's not going anywhere."

The anger was clear to hear in the sharp staccato footfalls of Tony's armour as he left the room. "We're either destroying that or taking it with us to analyse," he announced and pushed open the last door. "Holy shit," was the next thing that came over the comm, before it went totally silent, not even the soft sounds of Tony's breathing coming over the line anymore.


End file.
